Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — Lauren Tritton is at it again.

After making history as the first female driver to not only race in, but win, the Battle of Lake Erie at MGM Northfield Park in June, on Saturday she will become the first woman to drive in a Meadowlands Pace final.

Lauren reached the final of the Meadowlands’ signature race by driving Its A Me Mario, trained by her husband Shane, to a third-place finish behind Cannibal and Voukefalas in the first of last week’s two eliminations. The top five in each elim qualified for Saturday’s $668,000 race, the 47th edition of the classic for 3-year-old pacers.

Its A Me Mario has hit the board in nine of 12 career races and earned $117,811. USTA/Ken Weingartner photo.

“I hadn’t sat behind Mario for a while; he’s obviously grown a bigger motor since the last time I sat behind him,” said Tritton, who drove Its A Me Mario for the first time since last July. “I’m still in shock, to be honest. We would have been happy with fifth, just as long as we got in the final. To get third place, and the horse was great, it’s just craziness.

“We’re riding the wave. I know waves crash, so we’re riding the wave for as long as we can.”

Lauren discovered that after driving Lochinvar Art A to her historic victory in the Battle of Lake Erie, only to see the horse finish fourth in the Dave Brower Memorial in his next start.

“I was on Cloud Nine for like a week,” she said. “I always say you’re only as good as your last drive. So, it didn’t last long.”

But the Its A Me Mario wave is picking up steam and carrying Team Tritton with it. Its A Me Mario has won five of seven races this season, and in his Pace elim he rallied from seventh with a three-wide move at three-quarters and race-best :26.1 rush home.

“It was a little bit messy for us in the back there, but I was really impressed with his run,” Tritton said. “I had come out a little earlier than what I thought, but I’m happy with third place.”

Eight days prior to the Pace elim, Its A Me Mario finished sixth in the MGM Messenger Stakes at Yonkers Raceway, where he started from post seven in a 10-horse field and was parked for the entirety of the 1-1/16 mile race.

“Even though he doesn’t have a win next to his name, his performance at Yonkers was just crazy,” Tritton said. “He never got anywhere near the fence. It was just really impressive.”

Its A Me Mario, a son of American Ideal-NF Salsa, was bred by Winbak Farm and is owned by Joshua Jay Graber. He was purchased for $16,000 at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale. He has hit the board in nine of 12 career races and earned $117,811 as he prepares to head to the Meadowlands Pace.

The Trittons came to America from Australia in March 2020. It was the start of the Covid epidemic, and all kinds of chaos and concerns ensued before they, their young son Levi and their horses got settled.

This season Lauren Tritton has won 18 of 80 starts for a U.S. career-best $374,643 in purses. USTA/Mark Hall photo.

Lauren was a star in Australia, where she was the youngest driver to reach 500 wins and first female to win the Open Premiership, but upon arrival in America she mostly helped Shane with training. After a combined seven starts in 2020-21, she won 32 of 93 races for $188,697 in purse earnings last year.

This season Tritton has won 18 of 80 starts for a U.S. career-best $374,643 in purses.

“It’s just surreal that Shane and I could get a horse in this race,” Tritton said. “A $16,000 purchase, and he’s been nothing but great to us. To have him in (the final) is just a bonus.

“To be in these races is what we dreamed of before coming to America. To be in them is just surreal. It’s great.”

Its A Me Mario drew post eight in the 10-horse final and is 20-1 on the morning line. How he will perform remains to be seen, but Tritton can’t wait to find out.

“He’s been really sharp,” she said. “I feel like this track will really suit him and the quick tempo doesn’t seem to worry him. He’s very versatile. He’s very quick off the (gate) if you need him to be and he relaxes, comes back to you nicely. When you ask him to go, he gives you everything he’s got. That’s all you want in a horse, really.”

And if the driver makes even more history, all the better.

Free TrackMaster past performances for the Big M can be found here.

Following is the field for the $668,000 Meadowlands Pace final in post-position order, with drivers, trainers, and morning-line odds:

1 – Fulton – Dexter Dunn – Linda Toscano – 8/1
2 – Voukefalas – Jordan Stratton – Michael Russo – 7/2
3 – Christchurch – Yannick Gingras – Nancy Takter – 10/1
4 – Cannibal – Andrew McCarthy – Nancy Takter – 6/1
5 – Confederate – Tim Tetrick – Brett Pelling – 6/5
6 – Hungry Angel Boy – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 20/1
7 – El Rey – Scott Zeron – Tony Alagna – 9/2
8 – Its A Me Mario – Lauren Tritton – Shane Tritton – 20/1
9 – Ammo – David Miller – Joe Holloway – 30/1
10 – Save America – Matt Kakaley – Nancy Takter – 30/1